#Do they not care at all about how their lives will be affected by this shit

[bunnis-monsters]

Hybrid Shelter Prologue

warning: mentions of abuse, injuries, some yandereish behavior, and violence

You’ve been working at the hybrid shelter for a few weeks now. It wasn’t an easy job, tending to injured, abused, and scared hybrids, but you did your best.

This was just a part time job until you were able to find something better. Of course you cared about the hybrids, but the money you made wasn’t enough.

You had two other part time jobs that took your time away, and although you loved working at the hybrid shelter, it was only a temporary thing.

Most days were full of games, movies marathons, the occasional check up, and lots of bonding. After all, the goal was to help these hybrids figure out what they wanted. If they wanted to be independent, be a pet, or return/live in the wild.

Today was a bad day, though.

You woke up at 3 am to a call, asking you to come into the shelter early.

“It’s an emergency,” your boss said, taking a moment to breathe before continuing. “A new hybrid came in… you’ll understand when you get here.”

And your boss was right, you understood the second you walked in.

In the corner of the lounge was a cat hybrid. He was backed against the wall, hissing and spitting as his tail puffed up.

“Stay away from me, don’t you dare get any closer!”

All the other workers were covered in scratches, glancing at one another in concern.

“His file,” your boss said from behind you, handing you a folder. “A tale as old as time. Human buys a cat hybrid from a backyard breeder, doesn’t know how to take care of him. The owner abused the poor thing then dropped him off at our door… he was scared and confused, and when we said his owner abandoned him…”

Your nods gestured to the cat hybrid, sighing. “This happened.”

You took a moment to read his file, frowning before you handed the folder back. “Alright, I’ll give it a try. Get a room ready in the infirmary, we’ll need to do a checkup and make sure his vaccinations are up to date.”

The cat hybrid’s ears pinned back as you approached, his tail lashing dangerously. “Don’t take another step closer, I’ll-“

His ears unfolded when you sat down a few feet away from him, giving the scared hybrid a kind smile. “Alright, I’ll stay right here then. Is that alright?”

Though his tail continued to sway erratically, the cat hybrid slowly lowered himself to the ground to match your stance.

“…”

He stayed quiet, eyeing you. All you did was sit there, watching his body language and slowly scooting closer.

“You don’t have to be afraid. I know it can be scary coming to a new place, but there’s other cat hybrids just like you here. They’re all happy, and I take care of them myself.”

He sniffed the air to confirm your words, picking up the scent of other hybrids on you. “… and… you don’t hit them?”

Those words tore at your heart, but you didn’t let it show. You kept a calm smile on your face as you nodded slowly. “No… there’s no hitting here. No punishments either.”

He hesitantly reached out a hand, placing it on your leg before pulling it back. Testing the waters was a good sign. “Will my owner come back?”

“Most likely not… and even if we did, we wouldn’t let them hurt you. Never again.”

With that, he slowly moved forward, leaning until his head rested on your lap, a sign of trust. You gently scratched behind his ears, a soft purr coming from him.

“There you go… that’s a good boy.”

Your boss watched this interaction from a distance, picking up his phone. “Yeah, I think she’s the one. I’ve never seen a hybrid calm down so quickly, she might have the thing we’ve been looking for.”

The rest of the day, the cat hybrid cling to your side, enduring the medical exam only if it meant he got to hold onto your arm.

Already he was scenting you, just like many of the other hybrids did. You were unaware how many had already put their “claim” on you, and how that would affect your future at the shelter.

Leaving wasn’t easy, the cat hybrid, who you named Midnight because of his dark hair, was attached to your hip. He cried and buried his face into your neck when you got ready to leave, only agreeing to let go of you with the promise you’d be back tomorrow.

“Mine… don’t want you to go…” he murmured, just quiet enough for you to not hear.

The next morning you woke up to a text message from your boss. Through your bleary vision you were barely able to make out what it said.

‘Dear (Name), you have been offered a chance to work as a full time employee. You’ll be paid $30 an hour, and you can start tomorrow. Please reply to confirm.’

Although you felt happy, something about the message felt off. Regardless, you needed the money and accepted immediately.

Soon your life would become hectic and full of mystery, but you wouldn’t find that out until later.

Now, you rolled back over and went to back to sleep until your shift began.

——————

Comment to be added to the Hybrid Shelter taglist. There may be some nsfw and yandere elements in the future! For now I’m using the nsfw taglist, but the next post I’ll be tagging those who comment.

NSFW TAGLIST: @avalordream @icommitwarcrimes @bazpire @im-eating-rn @anglingforlevels @kinshenewa @pasteldaze @yoongiigolden @peachesdabunny @murder-hobo @leiselotte @misswonderfrojustice @dij-ology @i8kaeya @lollboogurl @h3110-dar1in9 @keikokashi @aliceattheart @mssmil3y @namjoons-t1ddies @izarosf1833 @healanette @lem-hhn @spufflepuff @honey-crypt @karljra @zyettemoon1800 @exodiam @vexillum-moeru @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @enchantedsylveon @mysticranger575 @readeryn68 @danielle143 @kittenlover614 @filthybunny420 @annavittoria-mm @makimamybelovedwife @blubearxy @omglovelylaila @toocollectionchaos-universe-blog @fruk-you-usuk-fans @wil10wthetree @hammerhead96-blog @slightlyusedfloormat @bubblez-blop @sunshineangel-reads @heroneki-neko @soapybabyboop @anonymouskiwi

[scarletttries]

Baldur's Gate 3 Companions Love Languages (Baldur's Gate 3 Request)

Request: "hi! i loved reading your baldurs gate companions in love headcanons, i wanted to ask would it be okay if you wrote headcanons for what their love languages would be? or just how they would show love to their partner? thank you!"

Pairings: Astarion x Reader, Wyll Ravengard x Reader, Gale Dekarios x Reader, Shadowheart x Reader, Karlach x Reader

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who sent in requests and reblogged my last Baldur's Gate post! Consider me open for any BG3 requests, let me know if you want to see more pieces like this :)

Astarion:

- Astarion has always had a way with words, and there's no exception in the way he sings his praises of you. He is quick to tell you how you have won his favour, how he prefers you to any of his other travelling companions, how he looks forward to the moment you open your eyes each morning. He will come up with a thousand sweet pet names to lavish you with affection, her purring voice leaving no trace of doubt that he doesn't mean exactly what he says. And he takes a certain sick satisfaction in describing all the things he wants to do for you the moment you are left alone together, and watching the blood rise up to your cheeks, only making you more appetizing.

- After years of what felt like indentured servitude, Astarion always feels himself falling only more deeply in love when you do him little favours and acts of service. He never stops being surprised when you've set up his tent for him because he could tell he was battle-worn this evening, or when you fetch him a cup of wine before he's even realised he was actually quite thirsty. He's never had someone know him well enough to anticipate his needs, let alone selflessly step up to deliver those things wanting nothing in return but to see him happy and at ease. He can feel himself grow more trusting and open of you with every kind task you undertake.

Wyll:

- Wyll has lived a life subject to many stories, and finds himself weaving a new tapestry of tales with his Words whenever he speaks to you. A simple good morning is never enough, he must soliloquise on and on about the way it feels to wake beside you, and how each ray of sunlight captures your beauty in a thousand different ways. He will wax poetic as you stroll through the lands, letting you know exactly what he admires about you, and exactly what your future adventures together would mean to him. He wants nothing more than to tell you the story that he sees the two of you writing together, every sweet word just another reminder that there's never been anything more important to him than you.

- You can show Wyll how much you care about him by just being there and sticking by for all the quality time he needs. This may include a lot of listening to the heartbreaking tale of his father's scorn, and sitting in supportive silence as he tries to let go of some of the weight he has carried on his shoulders thus far. You also need to be willing to put in the time to learn a dance or two, the retracing of steps bringing warmth to Wyll's heart and flooding him with all the brightest memories of his childhood. And when the dances have your bodies twisting closer and closer then Wyll has another idea of how you can spend some quality time together.

Gale:

- While Gale does see himself as a man of adventure, he is first and foremost a scholar of the magical arts and that requires a certain amount of Quality Time spent with his books. As he makes space in his life and heart for you, he views his time with you as equally precious. He loves that you two can sit quietly next to each other reading for hours, or just swapping stories of your adventures. He knows if the gravity of it all is getting on top of him, he can pass an easy day resting his head in your lap while the two of you discuss what the future could hold for you, giving him reason after reason to keep on fighting and never surrender to ache in his chest. On the rare occasions that Gale has to spend the day away from you, prepare yourself for the most dramatic reunion you can imagine when he returns - sweeping you into his arms, ready to cling by your side as he tells you everything you missed while being apart.

- Gale has heard and read a lot of pretty words in his time, knowing they are often not to be trusted in their intended meaning. So rather than telling Gale you care, you find it much more effective to just show him with your touch. He's a needy boy at the best of times anyway, but with a gentle caress of your fingers over the nape of his neck you can render the chatty wizard speechless and completely entranced. It's difficult to overstate how much of Gale's day he spends thinking about when it all grows dark and finally he can retire into your bed roll and feel your skin pressed against his, feeling completely safe and content in your company.

Shadowheart:

- Despite having little to offer and no intrinsic idea of an item's value, Shadowheart finds herself compelled to offer you small gifts and tokens of affection as you travel together. It might be an especially well aged bottle of wine picked up while exploring some abandoned castle, a bottle she hopes the two of you can share as the sun is setting that night. It might be a resilient flower she sees sprouting from a hillside, she can't help but tuck it behind your ear and marvel at the way it draws out the highlights in your eyes. A cup of water from a glistening stream, a smooth pebble plucked from the shore, a sweet handful of berries found deep in a thicket. Her hand is constantly extending out towards you, with some small reminder that you are never far from her thoughts.

- So much of Shadowheart's life has a been shrouded in dishonesty and mystery, so when you speak to her with only kindness and truth she comes to really value those Words of Affirmation. Giving her your honest opinion, and letting her talk through whatever moral quandary is playing on her mind, will strengthen the deep understanding you share and remind her of the way you give her something no one else has before. Let her know you're thinking of her too, that you care about how she's doing, and you like her no matter what version of herself she is becoming, and Shadowheart will continue to open her heart and mind to you again and again.

Karlach:

- Karlach has always been a helpful soul, even if she's been misguided in the past about who she's been helping. So her favourite way to show you she cares is through Acts of Service, doing little tasks for you and reinforcing that your life will just be easier if you keep her around and ideally very close by. She is particularly happy when she gets to do something for you that doubles as an excuse to show off her statuesque build; reaching something off a high shelf, lifting some heavy boulder out of your way, carrying you in her arms when the day has been long and there's still a journey ahead of you. She feels like she needs to improve your life in all these tangible ways in order to let you know just how appreciated you are, even though it would be impossible to ever feel like you were being taken for granted by this loving soldier.

- After decades of burning ultimately hot because of the infernal engine in her chest Karlach has become used to being a certain level of touch-starved. But when you first celebrate her mended heart by throwing your arms over her shoulders, all that need and want come flooding back in a landslide and Karlach is sure she'll never be able to stop squeezing you again. Show Karlach love through physical affection and this fierce warrior will be melting like a puddle into your lap at the slightest touch. Wake her with a hug each morning, let her fingers grip your hand as you explore the treacherous world, squeeze her thigh as you settle round the campfire each evening. Remind her you're there, and let her cling to you in a way she has always craved, and you'll have a very happy Barbarian on your hands.

[lizpottersworld]

. ۫ ꣑ৎ . EVERYWHERE, EVERYTHING (james potter x reader)

summary: even as ruin runs wild around the wizarding world, nothing can stop the love between you and james even if it be death do us part.

pairings: james potter x reader, wolfstar, dad!james potter, mum!reader.

warnings: death, Voldemort, unfortunate sad ending, angst with no comfort, no happy ending, crying children (help)

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

to be loved by someone as loud and passionate as james potter was every girl’s wish. he always knew how to please, how to care and how to love. to be loved is to be seen and heard and he listened intently, observing every little thing you do. plus, when james potter is in love, boy does he fall hard. especially when it’s by someone as soft and sweet as you, a sweetheart who takes pride in him and gives him the affection he craves.

no doubt when everything around him is falling apart he clings to the one thing he can’t live without, which he would protect with his whole lifeline. when his friend group was falling apart, you arms was where he went. after his parents passed and he couldn’t hold himself together anymore, it was you he ran to.

it was the same goes the other way, if anything happened to you, minor or major he was where you spend those fearful nights and terrorising mornings. if home was a person, they were without a question at home when with each other.

even after a complicated beginning, where james had been whole heartedly chasing someone else, at the seeing of you he immediately changed his mind. as soon as you came into the view, you was all he thought about since.

your friends had called you hopeless, oblivious and caught up in your book ideals but nothing could stop the two of you. giggling and crying as you snuck into each other’s rooms at night, no spell being able to stop that. being intertwined to each other’s sides, glued forever without any care or discourse about it. stuck to your lover’s hip for all eternity? okay, didn’t want to be apart anyways.

even as the class of ‘78 graduated, you both hadn’t even thought about breaking up. in turn the two of you bought a flat in london near your other friends who were also rooming together as partners, remus and sirius who you both knittedly were close with from first year. no matter there petty arguments and disagreements, you and james could never say that ever was a problem with you two.

call them young or naive but even at 20, you already had your whole future planned out. a happy family in a house with white picketed fences, raising a new generation of potter’s. supportive parents who would grow old in the house that they lived they’re best life’s in, that would eventually pass together happily and peacefully.

at the raw age of 22, you had unexpectedly fell pregnant by accident but fatefully. soon after, you and james’ were engaged and as you neared nine months the two of you eloped. maybe everything was rushed, but why waste precious time! especially with the raging war happening with Voldemort. time truly was delicate in their case, with james being an auror for the order. praying most nights with your growing bump that he would make it home that night. thankfully, he always did.

then you gave birth to your first daughter, ivory potter, in the warmth and love of your cottage in scotland. many tears shed and sweat fallen, you and james happily welcomed your beautiful firstborn with open arms. ivory lived her first two years with loving parents and humorous uncles who spoiled her rotten.

you had then fell pregnant again, in times of scarce and fear as the war was spiralling and Voldemort had been closing in on the two of you. despite your lack of involvement in the death eaters, they still despised the idea of the prophecy child that had been told to you in divination during seventh year. no matter how much you two and james ignored it, the reality of it had been becoming more aware.

Dumbledore and the order moved you into a secret safe house temporarily as they tried to defeat voldermort. no inside or outer contact, just your little family trying to make the best of the situation. a year had passed since living in this house, you had given birth to your son, harry potter, who was now the youngest in the household. everything became unserious at the amount of time since nothing had happened, you weren’t always living on the edge. secretively having contact with some friends from Hogwarts.

perhaps thats how the word of your son had come out, the supposed prophecy child to have been born. you didn’t think it was possible that your friend’s could have told the death eaters about it, even now it felt like no one in that group even seemed the little bit guilty of it.

every day came pathetically repetitive, being closed off from the rest of the world. from family and from being able to actually see your friends in person who hadn’t even meet harry apart from photos. despite the alluring idea of sneaking to visit them all, nothing was worth the risk of your children. nothing amounted to that protection.

you and james were still blissfully in love, raising your beautiful children with gentleness and grace that you were sure carried throughout their ways. little angels who knew nothing but that.

it was the 31st of October 1981, and even though the kid’s couldn’t join in on the muggle trick or treating tradition like all the other’s in the neighbourhood they still dressed up. ivory dressed up as a young witch with a big grin and her homemade broom, harry dressed up as a golden snitch which was solely because of james’ contribution to costumes this year.

the sun had set and the kid’s were put to sleep in their respective rooms, leaving you and a breathless james dancing around the living room with wine glasses in hand, so obliviously unaware. wrapped up in the other in a unspoken adoration that carried the room.

there was a knock on the door and james went to the door expecting another trick or treater, leaving his wand that coordinated his costume on the sofa.

“oh hi pete!” he chirped, a grin on his face as he inspected the fear and something unfamiliar on his face that he couldn’t place. peter repeatedly mumbled apologies shaking his head as a green apparition happened behind him.

james smile fell instantly, yelling desperately to his wife, “y/n, he’s here, go upstairs and stay with the kids!” you dropped the wine glass passing a look with james as you ran up the stairs, wiping a tear with a nod as you hear him for the last time, “i love you, forever my love, keep them safe.” immediately you panicked running to grab ivory from her bed and bring her into the nursery of her brother’s as you soothed their cries and wiped their tears hearing their father groaning and shouting downstairs.

one final scream and a green light shook through the house and you sobbed in pain as you held on tight to your kids, aware of the ticking time you had. ivory held onto her brother protectively as you whispered to them, “listen, mummy and daddy love you both so much,” you cried, “never forget that, okay? we love you, we’ll always be here,” you yearn begging for this all to be a dream.

as he appears in the doorway you stand up in front of the two kids in the crib, “leave them alone!” you yell as he comically laughs at your misery knowing your disarmed. his sinister smile sickened you as he caressed your face with his wand, your tears falling achingly down your cheeks.

“your pathetic husband is dead,” he snarled, peering at the crying babies behind you as you followed his gaze protectively. “and soon will the rest of your little family,” he grinned, “murderered and forgotten.” you shake your head profusely.

“you can take my life, but you won’t get any closer to my children then you are now.” you growled, his smile morphing into something angry and furious. he chanted avada kedavra and the light fell from your eyes, nothing but the framed picture of your family on the wall in front of you left in your memory.

the cries and sobs of the kids echoed through the house as voldermort scowled at them, whilst ivory held her brother close to her, “mama!” she cried, tears streaming down her face onto her brother’s at their proximity.

he threw the curse at them which rebounded onto himself as he yelled and disappeared into thin air, leaving two scarred young children who had nothing but their parent’s distant memory. and the love and protection that saved them from the ending that their parents suffered. the oldest daughter comforting her younger brother as she innocently made grabby hands at his mother’s unconscious body.

“its otay haz, i’ve got you now,” ivory sniffled as the two dozed into their own sleep, hopelessly waiting for someone to realise and come and get them.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

[cripplecharacters]

hello, i want to write a protag with down syndrome and i was wondering if you have any previous ask/links about how to go about it? i dont know what their mental capacity or function is like, is it similar to the autism spectrum?

Hi asker,

This is mostly a research question. I appreciate your ask, but I want to clarify that we generally don't answer purely research questions.

I will provide you with some links. We also do in fact have a #Down Syndrome representation tag, as well as an #intellectual disability representation tag, which is relevant because pretty much people with DS are also intellectually disabled. (The main exception is likely people with mosaic DS, in which not all their cells have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.)

There's a pretty big variation on the abilities of people with DS. You could probably meet a bunch of people with it, and some will live on their own and have a job, and some will need 24/7 care, and some need someone to come help them twice a week, and some can only do a very simple job by themselves and not much else. And they still all have the same condition. This will vary based not only on their mental abilities, but on their physical abilities as well. DS is not exclusively a 'mental disability,' it affects the body.

I'm going to broadly answer the "is it similar to the autism spectrum" question.

Down Syndrome is diagnosed and defined by a genetic marker that affects both physical and mental development. Pretty much all people with DS are intellectually disabled. About half have heart defects that need to be corrected, because heart defects can be fatal. Many have hypotonia, and/or hearing loss, and/or visual conditions. I think this is often forgotten about.

Meanwhile autism is diagnosed behaviorally. It's defined by social & communication difficulties and restrictive behavior. About a third of autistic people are also intellectually disabled, which means it's common but not automatic. Autistic people can have some physical health problems that are common, but they are not linked in the same way as DS’s physical disabilities are.

They both are pretty common disabilities, they both can have a pretty wide spectrum of abilities, but they're ultimately not inherently super similar other than they are developmental.

Here's some links:

About Down Syndrome from the National Down Syndrome Society

About Down Syndrome by Down Syndrome International; this page has various links

Facts and FAQs about Down Syndrome by Global Down Syndrome Foundation

Down Syndrome by the US's CDC

Intellectual Disability Overview by the Cleveland Clinic

Intellectual Disability and Health by the University of Hertfordshire.

Hope this helps,

mod sparrow

[vminsos]

@hosam-2 - post | fundraiser

@hosam-2 message: "Hi, I hope this message finds you well. We’ve launched a campaign to support Hussam in Gaza, who is dedicating his time to feeding dozens of abandoned animals left behind by the conflict. Any donation, no matter how small, can make a huge difference in saving these innocent lives. Please consider visiting the campaign link and contributing if you're able to. Thank you so much for your kindness"

@nooribrahim24 - post | fundraiser

@nooribrahim24 message: "Hello, I am Noor from Gaza. I need your help urgently, My mother is now in intensive care on an oxygen machine. I am very afraid of losing my mother, She needs an operation urgently."

@aisha20586 - post | fundraiser

@aisha20586 message: "Please, my friend, donate to me. The situation is very, very difficult. My children are suffering from hunger, illness, and extreme cold in the tent. We are hungry. There is no food, no drink, no milk to breastfeed my children, not even diapers. My husband is sick and cannot work, and we do not have money to buy. Please help me and my family. Thank you very much."

@assifamilygaza3 - post | fundraiser

@assifamilygaza3 message: "❤️🍉 Our support is very weak. I am Nour from Gaza, a mother of three children. I gave birth to my baby a few days ago during the war. I was born under very difficult circumstances. The war made us lose everything. I don't have money to buy milk🍼, diapers or clothes for my baby. My newborn baby needs emergency surgery affecting his growth that costs $350. Please help save my child Hamza 😭💔🙏 Support us with Christmas gifts with your donations to us and help us with your support😿 Please look at us with mercy"

@mssb9994 - post | fundraiser

@mssb9994 message: "

🚨 We Need Your Kindness to Survive 🚨

Hello, My name is Mosab Elderawi, and I live in Gaza with my family. Life here has become harder than I ever imagined, and I’m writing this with hope in my heart that you might hear our story.

The ongoing war has devastated my family. We’ve lost 25 family members—each one a beloved part of our lives, taken too soon. I miss them deeply—their laughter, their presence, their love. Every day is a reminder of this unimaginable loss.

We are now facing daily challenges to survive—things that most people take for granted, like food, clean water, and a safe place to sleep. The harsh realities of life here have replaced our dreams with the constant fight for survival.

Our Current Situation:

💔 Lost Stability: The war has left us without work or a stable source of income. 🍞 Basic Needs: Food and water are becoming harder to afford with rising prices and scarce resources. 📚 Dreams on Hold: Like so many here, my family’s dreams have been replaced by the need to simply survive. 😢 Unimaginable Loss: Losing 25 loved ones has left a void that can never be filled.

How You Can Help:

I’m sharing our story with the hope that someone out there might care. Even $5 can make a big difference for us, and if you’re unable to donate, just reblogging this post can help spread the word.

Your kindness, no matter how small, is something we’ll never forget.

What This Means to Us:

Your support is not about changing our entire situation—it’s about giving us a little relief, a little hope, and a way to keep going. We are not asking for much, and we understand if you can’t donate. Sharing our story is just as valuable to us as a donation.

Thank you for reading this far. It means the world to us to know that someone is listening. Your kindness gives us strength and helps us believe in a better tomorrow.

With all our gratitude, Mosab Elderawi and Family ❤️"

@saraanna1 - post | fundraiser

@saraanna1 message: "

Hello

I am Hiba Khader, a mother of three from Gaza🇵🇸.

The war has destroyed everything—my home, my job, and my dreams.

Each night, I cry as my children go to bed hungry, their laughter replaced by fear and pain.

I’m begging for your help to give my children a safe home and a chance at life."

hello, these people reached to me for help in my inbox. since I can't donate, I can only help sharing their stories and fundraiser! so, if you are able to donate, please do it! and if not, I would be glad if you reblog and share this post! thank you!

@yusra-maryam58 - post | fundraiser

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@wafaaresh1 - post | fundraiser

these are the ones it was on my inbox today! this post probably will be updated if i receive more!

[earthmixsclowderofcats]

Okay but imagine being in ZeeNuNew’s shoes - you’re queer, confirmed dating but haters still pair you with women you interact with or just meet (business or not), tell you that you’re not ‘queer enough’ and your relationship that you confirmed years ago must be fanservice and if you tell something like ‘NuNew likes cold showers, I prefer warm/hot ones and it’s torturous for me’ (Zee has said it recently by the way, like days ago) people still act surprised:/ but I hope it’ll be better for them

It's definitely an interesting situation. Because like, coming at it from an outside perspective as I was, I was confused for a while. Over the top fan service is a staple of the genre tbh. But I think maybe people get stuck on the black and white and forget the nuance.

Like yeah, it can be fan service and they can also actually care for each other. Which is where I ended up. Because they were definitely playing it up, especially at the beginning of the relationship, but you can also see the genuine affection and emotional honesty, and you can see how it shifts over time.

Again, so wild to me that it's like living your own fake dating au. Committing to the bit to the point where it's no longer a bit. It sounds like a bl plot. (I mean DMD is literally doing a bl with that plot right now lol) That's so meta.

I think people are naturally skeptical, and I think that's probably for a good reason, as it's always best to keep yourself self aware when it comes to celebrities. But what's weird is the intensity with which people are either "pro" or "anti."

As if it's a matter that affects them personally. Like, if they are "pro" and proven wrong true love doesn't exist and they were fools all along and if they are "anti" and they're wrong they were hateful homophobic crones. When like. We are not part of the equation. But people are dedicating themselves to their stance so fully. Which is why I think I was going back and forth for a while before just being like ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

They are or are not whatever they are. They're cute as hell and act like a couple so that's the assumption I'm gonna live under.

You know the whole "if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's probably a duck" thing?

I don't shower with my bros.

But instead of being like "hey, I change my mind once I've encountered new information" people double down in weird and frankly, queer phobic ways.

I can understand the confusion about their label because I understand it's a bit different culturally. Like, in a western sense most people would not consider it a confirmation because it was more of a "make your own assumptions" kind of thing. Which was what tripped me up for a while.

Tbh that would be the best possible response if it were secretly all fan service all along somehow. Because then that would give people the feeling of confirmation they want while still having the deniability of "I never actually said that."

But also, given the untraditional nature of their relationship, labels like that, especially at the time, may have just not been something they were worrying about. Like, I don't think there's a guidebook for this whole situation.

Sidenote: I am so charmed by the epic saga that is them vs showers.

Especially how Nunew likes to tease about Zee's snoring vs Zee teasing Nunew about his bad habit of not showering before bed. (But it's ok if Nunew does it because Nunew is always the exception it seems. Something the besties have in common. Nat is always the exception for Max.)

The shower ghost, etc. it's peak old married couple bickering.

Kind of like for whatever reason what convinced me about earthmix (on top of everything else) was that Mix pops Earth's zits. Like. That's a level of intimacy that simple costars do not have lmao.

When it's not just the cute shit, but also the gross stuff and the every day bickering that makes it feel genuine.

[phoenixeclipse-lmkau]

Kaamisaa asked via Ao3 Comments:

I was wondering what's the difference between courtnapping and fighting for your mate, I'm trying to imagine that to show affection demons fight and warlords desperately trying to figure out how they can "fight" with the reader so they won't hurt her, or maybe if someone ask they just say she beat them and they couldn't even do anything to her (they were cursed but who cares about the details)

>>>

Courting can be shown in several ways of demons. They don’t have to fight or courtnap in order to court. Courtnapping and Court fighting are merely some traditions that a few follow, most of time its actually just for show. There are reasons to follow these traditions at times.

For courtnapping it could be because they want to show their mate their home and the life they can provide for them before deciding they want to be mates. (They have to consummate for it to be official) If the one who was courtnapped doesn’t like it and decides they don’t want to live their then they are released. (Most of the time).

There are times that this is NOT followed. Such as the monkey duo, who refuse to let Reader go. However in their case its still not “official” as they wont consummate without Reader’s permission, and in the beginning she gives a hard NO. They respect their wife, and they consider her to be their mate even if they haven’t done all the legitimate steps.

Now I do love your idea of mentioning when they were cursed!! Wukong definitely tells Reader that she started it by ‘courtnapping’ them first. Macaque face palming any time that he tries to use this as an excuse for their actions.

>>>

“My love, you are our mate. We courtnapped you so its official!” Wukong purred happily as he explained why he wouldn’t release you.

You crossed your arms over your chest as you looked down at the unglamoured king, “Spirit explained courtnapping to me and since not all of the requirements are met we are NOT mates.”

Macaque was sitting off to the side with a cup of tea and a book. His ears flicked up at your words, displeased with them but let out a calm sigh. You were trying to be let go again even when they gave you anything and everything that you could EVER want.

“We COULD complete the last step now if you wanted,” Wukong purred seductively only for you to jump back eyes widening in shock.

“NO! Nope, I don’t want that,” You replied sternly hugging yourself as you glared at him.

“Don’t fear, we’re not going to make you do anything like that unless you want it,” Macaque spoke up calmly, “However we are NOT going to let you go. We have claimed you as our mate, and we intend to keep you as such.”

You felt a flush of anger, glaring at both of the kings. Macaque was back to reading his book, it was something on plants. You weren’t sure what it was, but he had mentioned that he was trying to grow some new trees, your favorite fruits too. Angrily you turned away to walk out of the room, more than likely to go find Spirit who was probably with her family.

“You know… you technically courtnapped US first,” Wukong stated before you could walk out the door.

Macaque rolled his eyes as you turned to look at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“That wasn’t-,” Macaque was cut off.

“When you dragged us along on your journey to get back to your world, remember?” He said with a smirk spread across his face.

Macaque couldn’t stop himself from slapping his forehead at his husband’s words as your cheeks flushed a bright red.

>>>

Now as for court fighting its designed to show your mate that you are strong enough to protect them. This is almost never done on humans as they aren’t as powerful as demons, the most that is done for this is probably when they are willing to spar with their human mate.

This is usually reserved for powerful demons who want to mate. One demon will offer to fight and prove their worth, if the other agrees then they will fight and whoever wins decides if they will be mates. These duals can be rejected but it is widely frowned upon when someone rejects one of these fights.

Neither warlord even thinks about court fighting against you. But are more than willing to tell their wife all about their own court fight. They both wanted to mate with each other at the time but Wukong loves fighting so he proposed that Macaque ‘prove’ himself via court fight. Macaque was more than willing to oblige, the fight ended in a draw because they are so close in strength. (The fight lasted a few days straight)

>>>

I do hope this answered your question well! Sorry this took… over a month to answer. Seriously thank you for your patience. I loved writing this response! It was so much fun!!

[local-lamppost]

Sonic 3 Initial Thoughts

So I saw Sonic 3 and I really liked it. Adventure 2 has my favorite story of the franchise so even a loose adaptation was great to see (they even referenced Shadow the Hedgehog by having Shadow's origins be a black comet).

The only part I had a problem with was how they shied away from everything being GUN's fault. Gerald was hired to create the a weapon, a life form that could also cure his granddaughter's illness. Then the project gets out of hand and GUN wants to cover it up, so they kill everyone and imprison Gerald to keep him working for them (and they later kill him anyway in an amazing cutscene). GUN spends the whole game doing their best to keep the cover up going and doubling down. They are the real bad guys. This is still in the movie but it feels glossed over.

I loved Maria and Shadow's dynamic. We didn't get too much time with them, but the way it was shown-that Maria was the only one in the facility that didn't see Shadow as a monster/alien/things to be studied and Shadow being someone Maria could play with. I wish they had included a line about Maria wanting to experience the world beyond where her grandfather went for research, that she and Shadow planned to explore the world first hand when it was finished, and Maria's last words of protecting the world. Being the world's protector despite everything the world has done to him is Shadow's most important trait and I feel like it could've been touched on more.

The fight between Shadow and Sonic was amazing. Shadow goading Sonic into killing him, pointing at his heart the same way Maria and Tom have done to each one, and that connection being what snaps Sonic out of his anger was perfect. Then going on to watch the sun (a still living star) rise over the earth while they talk. Gorgeous.

Knuckles and Tails were relevant! This is always something I worry about in sequels that add to the cast, but they were handled perfectly. Knuckles being the guardians and having the final say of giving Sonic the power. Tails being the brains and moral support, as well as peacemaker between Sonic and Knuckles. It all evened out very well.

Lastly, Stone and the Robotniks. While I have mixed feelings of him being alive in the movie's present, Gerald is a fantastic villain. His line of "You're not Maria, Ivo" was brutal. I was wondering how they would work out a living Gerald with access to a living grandchild still wanting to destroy everything, but having him purely treat Ivo as a shell throughout was perfect. Ivo himself just wants to be cared for, something he thinks only family can provide for him despite Stone being right there. It's this familial requirement for affection that allows Gerald to use him and for Stone to be forced out, and if they do bring him back (which I really hope they don't) what his new dynamic with Stone would be now that he knows Stone really does love him.

All and all, a great film and I'm excited for the fourth. I'm really excited to see how Amy and Metal Sonic are handled, especially now that SEGA is writing her as an actual character lately.

[mint-in-the-moonlight]

the fandomification of paganism

hello everyone! first of all, thank you for taking the time to read this post. I want to preface it by saying that it is based on my opinion and observations and it's coming from a genuine place of care for the community. I don't mean to attack anyone or deny anyone's experience, I simply want us to reflect on the path that online paganism has been taking in recent years. with that being said, I hope you can continue reading with an open mind and limit your critiques to those actually related to my points, framing or conclusions. thank you!

there is something that I've been noticing in online pagan spaces lately, a shift which has me worried and feeling disconnected from much of the community. it seems to affect the way we think and talk about our deities which then seeps into the rest of our practices and communities.

I think we have already witnessed many large ways in which it manifests. the most recent and widespread example that I can think of was the whole "the gods are mad" thing on the eve of the US presidential election. some people were adamant that the gods were emotionally affected by the affair as if they themselves had a personal stake in it. now, I don't mean to say that the gods don't care about human affairs but the general consensus after this whole debacle seems to be that the gods are generally quite distant from stuff like this as they have no stake in things like human politics beyond potentially how it affects their worshippers. I agree with this general idea and I think what is likely happening is people are projecting their own opinions and feelings onto the gods because it is important to them that the gods seemingly agree and can sympathise (i wrote a bit more about this situation here if you're interested in reading it).

so from this one example, but potentially many more that I or you reader have experienced, i think what we are seeing is a certain trend (and I don't mean this in a negative way) of the gods as much more human-like. this is not necessarily a bad thing, many pagans see the gods as much closer to humans than I do (I see them as much more non-human or superhuman and just completely out of our realm of understanding). but what i usually see this being accompanied by is a certain belief that the gods are always around and very invested in every tiny aspect of our lives. in some people's practices, they seem to serve a more companion role and their importance as gods is severely downplayed.

I think this want for spiritual companionship is completely understandable and normal, this is after all one of the reasons why people can decide to become pagan or religious in general. but I think at times I see this move into a territory that I find problematic. I call it the "fandomification" of paganism.

I've been struggling with how I want to describe it because as much as I want people to be able to worship and practice however they want, I genuinely think that some of these behaviours cause problems in our communities and I want to address that from a place of good faith. with the knowledge that this might ruffle some feathers I want to say the following: I think some people treat the gods too much as manifestations of their favourite blorbo from a tv show or book rather than the powerful spiritual beings that they are.

I think that the idea that anyone can immediately communicate with the gods through a candle flame or a pendulum has led people to believe that they always have the ear of the gods and that the gods care and have opinions about every little thing that we can think of. I think skits on tiktok have popularised the erroneous idea that the gods can have snippy little conversations among themselves and practitioners and that they have beef amongst themselves.

what I honestly think is that many people have lost the respect and awe of the gods and made them into their personal entertainment clowns and that really rubs me the wrong way. this is not the way I want to engage in my religion, and once again while I do not wish to compel people to adapt their religion to what I believe, I have definitely noticed a growing schism between pagans who think like me and pagans who do not. I think it may be time for us to reflect on this development and how we want to tackle it going forward in relation to the future of our pagan communities.

[blackberrybuds]

mini essay about tsutsujio tamemichi & the use of dr. kan's hands as a metaphor for rape

ive been thinking a lot about tsu and kan recently so i wanted to dump some thoughts lol. cw for things involved with their stories like medical trauma and sexual assault and such

i think tsu is a masterclass in writing a metaphorical rape scene. i know that he genuinely faced sexual assault by kan, but i wanna focus on the idea that his heart surgery was a metaphorical rape in and of itself.

for background, during tsu's first year working at KFTI, he got in an altercation with dr. kan that lead to dr. kan beating him so badly he broke four bones, including his pelvis and almost every bone in his arm. we're told that he needed a lot of recovery time, and that during this recovery time, dr. kan pulled him for an experiment that involved performing open heart surgery on him.

we're told that the anaesthesia used was localized and not general, meaning he was awake for the surgery. we're told it was for the expressed purpose of seeing how he would mentally cope with the experience of being awake for something like that. that's the background we're going with. we then see how that affects tsutsujio and how he describes it.

tsu has chronic arrhythmia and heart palpitations. when he gets worked up, his body starts shutting down, which makes him panic and makes the entire thing worse. every day hes having these little spirals where he thinks hes gonna die. this is why he refuses to leave the office and head to OMS - he's afraid that if he does, he'll have an episode that requires kan's intervention, and kan won't be there to save him.

we also see him describe the process in a very specific way: the use of kan's hands.

[416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] Actually no im pretty sure nobody here understands me at all because I keep getting stupid fucking advice and critique from people who havent had his hands in their open fucking chest

he says that nobody can understand how he feels because they haven't had kan's hands in their chest. kan's hands are inside his body. his wording here is very important, because it's going to come up again in this thread, and then again further in the future. for now, let's focus on how it comes up in this thread.

[416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I feel like his hands are on my shoulders all the time [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I feel like no matter what I do or where i go his hands are always on my shoulders [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I feel like if i look down im just going to have handprints all over me [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I dont know why he makes me feel like that [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I cant leave because his hands are always on my shoulders and i cant ever be comfortable because his hands are always on my shoulders and nobody cares or questions it because oh its not that big of a deal its just his hands on my shoulders [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] my body feels wrong how the hell am i supposed to just live like that forever i dont want to [434334633/ Dr. Suga] You feel violated. [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] Right like i do but like fucking why should i [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] God this is so stupid why do i always sound so stupid [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] I just dont want his fucking hands in my body he fucking hurt me

he describes kan as always having his hands on his shoulders. he describes this as a feeling that's incredibly distressing, and says that nobody questions it because it seems so innocuous - just a hand on his shoulders. suga points out that he feels violated, and tsu agrees, but can't explain why. he then describes the feeling in a much more visceral way - "I just dont want his fucking hands in my body".

the language tsu uses alludes to much more than surgery. this isnt how people describe surgery in a normal context. the idea of someone putting their hands inside of your body holds connotations that feel much more intimate than medical. the descriptions of being covered in handprints corroborate this - he's not talking about medical feelings. he's talking about feelings of having his body violated, feelings that are intimately tied to the idea of sexual assault. this is further emphasized by the presence of his conversation partner - suga.

suga is the absolute picture of sexual violation within staffside. the way suga is described is the picture perfect image of purity. he was young and naive and eager to help. he was almost ethereally beautiful. he was pretty and weak and vulnerable. he was a virgin. the interesting framing device in tetro is that we don't learn any of this until after we've known him for some time. when we're introduced to suga, he's sick and vomiting and exhausted and on the brink of death. we meet him as his story is nearing its climax. only a short while after meeting him, he's put under anaesthesia and raped by dr. kan. this became one of our first central plot points of staffside.

suga's entire arc is about the trauma of sexual assault and how it eventually kills him, for all intents and purposes. we follow him as he's completely devoured by his trauma and his feelings of utter violation. pairing him with tsu in this scene is meant to show the connection between the two. staffside is drawing a comparison between suga's experience and tsu's experience. you're meant to associate them. they both feel horribly violated.

and then we find out that tsutsujio was molested during a medical exam.

it would be easy to take this information and write off the metaphorical rape that was tsu's surgery. it would be easy to dismiss it as no longer important or relevant now that we know tsu was genuinely molested and not just metaphorically assaulted. however, if anything, i think tsu's recount of being molested actually serves to greatly strengthen the connections between his surgery and the idea of rape. let's look again at how he describes the assault.

[416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] Again seriously its not that serious its not like what happened to Suga [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] Stuff with his hands I guess [416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] Which again is stupid because obviously the Suga thing is worse so please dont get hung up on this like seriously

another mention of kan's hands. he describes his molestation as something that took place with kan's hands.

[416276122/ Dr. Tsutsujio] And it was just one time and it was just with hands like it not like that

his hands again. tsu's focus often comes back to kan's hands. it's the only way he describes his molestation in any capacity. we don't get any details beyond the fact that it was done with kan's hands. kan's hands themselves in this case are portrayed as a weapon of assault. the hands that molested him are the hands he claims to be constantly all over his body and on his shoulders and inside his chest. the connections drawn between the use of kan's hands for sexual assault and the use of kan's hands for tsu's surgery are incredibly clear and further drive home the point of tsu's surgery being used as a metaphor for rape.

let's take a look at other mentions of kan's hands in similar contexts. this is the first time we ever get a mention of kan's hands.

[840070420/ Dr. Tatematsu] Out of curiosity, was it DURING that event that you told her you were getting handsy with her husband? Before? After?

tatematsu uses very specific phrasing to describe the sexual relationship between kan and seki. she refers to kan assaulting him as getting handsy.

[154314147/ Dr. Toranosuke] Hence why I'm reaching out to you two! I'd like to borrow Minase. [796285914/ Dr. Hattori] Me? [840070420/ Dr. Tatematsu] Absolutely out of the question. Keep your grubby hands in your own department.

kan claims to want to "borrow" minase. minase is someone kan has expressed lust for in the past - he's pretty, he's blonde, he's got the same borderline ethereal beauty that kan assigns to suga. when he says he wants to borrow minase, tatematsu tells him to keep his grubby hands in his own department. another mention of kan's hands.

[155402844/ Monomoko] He has other methods as well. Ones you might be familiar with by now. Dr. Kan is at his most content when others are entirely reliant on his hands.

this is one of the more prominent uses of the metaphor of dr. kan's hands. monomoko doesn't just say kan needs people to be entirely reliant on him; she says he needs them to be entirely reliant on his hands. his hands are almost given a sense of being their own character in the way people describe them. consider the people we know are reliant on kan to survive: tsutsujio, seki, suga, genki and zenjaku. if he didn't care for tsu's heart, tsu would die. if he didn't medicate seki, seki would die. if he didn't continue to care for suga through his coma, suga would die. i have no idea what he does for genki, but we've been told that without his support, genki would die as well. if he didn't provide zenjaku with the BMS box, he would die. every single person reliant on kan for survival is someone he has sexually assaulted. tsutsujio is the only one of the four who wasn't outright raped, which is where his surgical metaphor becomes even more prominent. it acts as a rape. it feels like rape. to him, it is rape. and here, we see monomoko describing these four people he has raped as entirely reliant on his hands. its another association between kan's hands and rape.

now, we get into the most blatant evidence for the idea that kans hands represent rape.

WHERE KAN. KAN KAN KAN KAN. i kNOW iT wAs HIM. HE LOOKED AT HER, HE DID. WITH HIS. HIS GROSS HANDS!!! HE DOES THINGS!!! HE DOES THINGS TO THINGS!!! hE. HE TOOk her, I KNOW HE DID. WHERE IS SHE?!?! wHERE IS SHE?!?!?! DID HE - NO!!! no. he WOULDN’T - wOULDN’T HE?!?!??!?!? OH GOD!!!!!!! WHERE SHES COLD!!! SHE’S COLD AND I CAN’T FIND HER!!!!!!! HE HAS HER I KNOW IT!!! I KNoW IT. HE TOUCHES EVERYTHING AND HE RUINS EVERYTHING AND NOW SHE’S GONE. hER FuR. HER fur…soft, soFT, and NOW SHE’S GONE!!!!! SHE’S GONE!!! HE TOOK HER. WHY. WHY. WHY?!?! WHY?!?!?!?!?!! WHERE HES HURTING HER. I KNOW HE IS. hES - hE'S DOING THINGS TO HER!!! THINGS. HE DOES THINGS AND SHE’S GONE AND I CAN’T STOP IT!!!!!!! hIS HANDS. hIS FILTHY HANDS. ON HER!!! ON HER!!! I CAN HEAR HER CRYING. sHE’S CRYING. SHE’S CRYING AND I CAN’T STOP IT!!! OH GOD I CAN’T STOP IT!!! WHERE wHy. why hE DO THIS. Why HE. tOUCH eVERYTHING THATS MINE!!! hE ALWAYS TAKES MY THINGS, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS!!!! hIS EYES. HIS EYES WERE LOOKING. ALWAYS LOOKING!!! I CANT. i CAN’T DO THIS. WHERE IS SHE. WHERE IS SHE. WHERE It’s darK. sHE’S nEVER QuiEt. ShE’S never THIS QUIET. He MUFFLED HER, I KNOW HE DID. he DOESNT WANT ME TO HEAR HER CRYING!!!!!!! BUT I CAN. I CAN HEAR HER ANYWAY!!! hE THINKS I CAN’T. BUT I CAN!!!!!!! HE DOESNT WANT HER TO BE MINE!!! BUT SHE’S MINE. MINE!!!!!!! WHERE wHEre IS shE. IS sHE SAFE?!?! IS SHE STILL SAFE???!?!?!? DID I LEAVE HER HERE?!?! WAS IT ME??? DID I DO THIS?!?! no. No. IT WASN’T ME. IT WAS KAN. IT’S ALWAYS KAN. IT’S ALWAYS HIM AND HIS HANDS AND HIS EYES AND HIS SMILE!!! HE TOOK HER. HE TOOK HER AND HE’S RUINING HER!!!!

the maru logs contain an incredibly chilling description of kan's hands used as a metaphor for rape once again. in my mind, this is one of the most nauseating depictions of kan's inflicted trauma in tetro. in the maru logs, we see the jumbled thoughts of nemoto genki depicted as a terminal. throughout the staffside story, we are repeatedly nudged towards the fact that during genki's deterioration, he was raped by kan. it's something that many people seem to understand and that genki himself seems to still carry the pain of even after losing his memory.

here we see genki in a state of extreme distress after dr. kan took away his comfort item as a form of sadistic punishment - a stuffed sheep. sheep and lambs have extremely strong connotations when it comes to symbolism - they're purity, innocence, gentleness and youth. we see that literally ripped away from genki by kan's hands, and genki immediately begins to violently spiral into hysterics.

kan taking the sheep is, in my opinion, a direct metaphor for rape once again. he is literally ripping a symbol of innocence away from genki, and genki reacts accordingly. he completely melts down, insisting that kan is "doing things" to this symbol of his innocence, and that he's ruining her with his gross, filthy hands. "it's always him and his hands". another case of dr. kan's hands being treated as a separate concept to himself. his hands are a weapon, and we see genki completely lose it as kan uses that weapon to rip away his innocence once again. this isn't a connection that the reader needs to force - it's incredibly clear. genki reacts to this as if it was a rape. he cries about violation and filth and ruining. genki seems to go as far as genuinely thinking that kan would violate the sheep itself - directly violating the symbol of his innocence and purity. directly raping his innocence. he reacts with appropriate horror and distress. kan's hands are once again used in this disgusting, violating context.

but kan's hands continue to come up.

Hibari visibly tensed and vocalized his pain throughout the process, but Kan appeared unfazed. He made several inappropriate comments, including, “You should appreciate that I’m being hands-on. Many would leave you to suffer with less care.”

kan describes himself as being hands-on with zenjaku, and says zenjaku should appreciate it. kan has repeatedly stressed a perverse interest in zenjaku and his body up to this point, and would later go on to physically rape him during a moment alone. having this treatment associated with kan being "hands-on" is another glowing example of the metaphor of his hands.

i think tetro is incredibly effective at not only depicting kan's hands themselves as a metaphor for rape and violation, but then also successfully executing an incredibly poignant metaphor for rape in the form of tsutsujio's surgery. kan's hands are rape. by putting them into tsu's body, he violated him and left him with a trauma that tsu describes in an extremely intimate context. anyone affected by kan's hands is violated, because kan's hands represent violation.

im not sure how much more of this we'll get in the future but i just wanted to get my thoughts out - let me know if you see any other interesting examples of this in staffside or let me know if you disagree completely and think im reading way too far into this LMAO. i just wanna hear peoples thoughts

[l-in-the-light]

I'm just gonna leave it here lol. Come on, Zoro can be pretty dumb, that's the point of it. Always has been. You think Zoro even noticed he chomped down some razorblades? Ofc he didn't! It was just some crunchy food for him. And he's too airheaded to realize only his lunchbox had anything crunchy in it lol. There's a reason why Luffy and Zoro are besties, and that reason is: they're both kinda dumb. Personally, it only makes me like them more.

But if anyone wants to go serious route here, I think we should instead ask this question: what made Zoro this way? Is he so used to eat trash to survive that a bit of poison and inedible things don't affect him all that much anymore? When we look at Zoro's backstory we can realize that he was pretty much always alone. No family, always training. Like sure, he had the dojo, but he didn't think they're his family or at least we never see anyone treat Zoro this way or him addressing them as family. He called Kouzaburo just "some old guy". No one told him they're all probably relatives either (we know thanks to SBS that they, in fact, are somewhat related). Zoro lost his parents and was on his own ever since (his father died fighting against pirates, his mom was a bandit and died of illness). How did he find the dojo, what did he do to survive before they took him in? Let's not forget Zoro was always full of pride and very stubborn. I doubt descendants of samurais would just tell him "we need to take you in, otherwise you will starve". Maybe they told him instead that they will take him in only if he promises to train (because he has potential), so in exchange he tried to be good with swords, so he can somewhat repay them for their kindness and care. Like to show their efforts to train him didn't go to waste.

Anyway, my point is, Zoro at some point in childhood might have also learned how it's like to be starving what a coincidence, it's like with Sanji huh. Luffy also knows that feeling, when Garp left him in the jungle alone and told him he needs to survive by himself. He had to try out things to eat if he didn't want to die of hunger. We can laugh that Luffy is so stupid that he's eating any mushrooms he finds, but that's probably something he learned as a kid to do to survive. So I bet Zoro, who can eat any trash you give him, is also showing us he didn't have an easy time as a child.

Disclaimer of sorts: And before anyone protests that only Sanji is allowed to have a starvation as a theme in his backstory, otherwise it won't be unique anymore, I dunno, what about Nami (who lived in poverty and at times had to survive on tangerines alone), Usopp (what did he eat after his mom passed away? who took care of him?), Chopper (yeah, he kinda ate a devil fruit because he was hungry and somehow assumed that looks edible huh), Robin (lately it's been revealed how she had to eat from trash to survive) and outside Strawhats, what about Law? After he got out of Flevance and before he joined Donquixotes, he had to survive somehow. The only possible way he could have done that is by living on the streets and by eating trash or stealing. There's a lot of starving kids in One Piece, that theme is not exclusive to Sanji, but it also doesn't make it any less special. Sanji himself is what made it actually special; by vowing he will feed all the starving ones, no matter what troubles it will bring him, no matter if someone he feeds has bad intentions or might be a bad person. He's not letting anyone starve and nothing is ever gonna make him regret feeding people, even if they try to harm him instead of showing gratitude. That's what's truly special about Sanji's backstory, the starvation bit is just allowing him to relate to starving people more. You can say all you want about Germa, but Judge didn't starve his son, and ever since he left his family Sanji worked on the cruise ship and didn't really experience hunger either.

The Razor Blade scene: Character assassination, a joke, or something else?

I've been seeing people discuss two small scenes connected to each other post Fishman Island and in Punk Hazard, the first where the two are bickering and they say this:

And a scene in Punk Hazard where Sanji packed lunches for Luffy, Zoro, Robin, and Usopp and Zoro is making "crunching" noises in the panel, and Oda reveals in an SBS that Sanji did actually put razor blades and poison in Zoro's food:

I have seen claims of character assassination in this scene for Sanji, considering his position on food being something everyone has a right to and his refusal in Whole Cake Island to put poison in the cake they plan to give to Big Mom:

I understand that comparing the two scenes, it does look like Sanji is abandoning his ideals just to get back at Zoro in their fight. But we need to look at both what Oda is saying in the SBS and also Zoro and Sanji's relationship to understand this scene, and why I don't believe this breaks Sanji's character or his ideals.

In the SBS, Oda ends the answer with "The serious nature of their fight is what makes it interesting." Going back one panel and seeing what triggered this fight:

It was Zoro being a lil shit and calling Sanji "Nosebleed-kun." That's to say, this fight is no more serious than their usual bickering, and Oda is making fun of that. Ultimately, this scene and the lunchboxes is a running joke, so that is one thing to keep in mind is that the scene, and Sanji by extension, is not serious about this fight. Of course, jokes are not immune to committing mischaracterization, so we have to look at their relationship too to make sense of it fully.

So why did Sanji actually put poison and razor blades in Zoro's food if he believes that poison shouldn't be used in food? I think at the end of the day, we have to remember that Sanji would never hurt anyone through food, especially the ones he cares about. And he does care about Zoro, it is shown time and time again that they watch out for and care for each other, from Long Ring Long Land, to Thriller Bark and Saoboady, and in Wano. My point is that Sanji knows that Zoro is a freak of nature and wouldn't actually be hurt by the razor blades or the poison, and that he would finish the food.

Zoro actually eats the damn food and literally says nothing about it, Oda didn't even think people would catch this it was such a small detail, but it's one I really like. One because, honestly, it is a funny joke to me, but also it shows a level of trust and understanding of each other? Sanji knows that Zoro is such a brute that he can just fucking. Chomp on metal (which. you know he does on the regular anyways LMAO) and have a little bit of poison go through him and he's literally fine. This is no worse to me than Sanji kicking him. And Zoro just accepting what he's been given, literally no complaints, and he finishes the food and doesn't waste it, because he DOES respect what Sanji does for him and the crew on a daily basis.

Ultimately, the difference in this scene and in Whole Cake Island is that Sanji KNOWS that he isn't actually gonna hurt Zoro by pulling this on him, hes looking to call Zoro on his taunt and be an annoying brat back to him. Bege is seriously asking him to kill Big Mom through the food that he makes, something that's on a completely different level then him pulling a prank on Zoro. The razor blade joke no different in this scene as well in Wano:

I don't think this is out of character for Sanji, it is their usual pettiness on full display, but also serves as a nice small detail into how they understand and trust each other.

[mika-sob]

Wolfgang Akire SFW Alphabet

- im delusional chat

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

- this man’s love language is words of affirmation and gift giving

- he will shower you in love, bro is super wholesome

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

- your friendship will definitely get off to a good start no matter what your personality is. he will treat you with respect and care for you

- as a best friend he would get a bit more relaxed, not needing to keep up his professional behaviour 24/7.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

- he loves to cuddle. usually big spoon but in the times where you want to spoon him, he’ll go with it. just be warned, he’ll be a blushing mess

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

- he definitely wants to settle down. he isn’t a ‘playboy’ type and due to his past he wants to create a great family.

- it’s canon that he has no idea how to do laundry, it’s kind of funny. since he never cooked or cleaned for himself, due to his family being rich cause lawyers, he is super bad at keeping rooms clean but tries his best

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

- oh so this is angst yeah uh

- if he needed to break up with you, he’d be definitely in distress, wondering if it might be his fault.

- the day he breaks up with you, her sits you down, trying to keep his cool. he’ll put his professional behaviour back up like a wall, wanting to break up with you gently

- he’ll feel so bad afterwards. tears would be shed behind closed doors

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

- he really likes the idea of commitment. he really only got with you cause he knew you were the one. he handpicked over 200 cases based on his gut feeling, he knows he will be able to grow old with you

- he isn’t really in much of a rush to get married. he’ll make sure about your opinions on marrige and settling down before considering on proposals. though he does want to get married before his 30’s, at least 40’s

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

- super gentle and caring both physically and emotionally. no need for explanations

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

- oh he loves hugs. like loves them so much

- any chance he gets, he’ll hug you, even as simple as a hand around your shoulders or waist.

- his hugs are super warm and comforting. feeling his long arms around you, securely holding you as he rests his chin ontop of your head is like heaven

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

- it does take time even if he loved you at first sight. since young he had many walls up around him, wanting to keep his feelings safe. only once he knows you love him back, he’ll say it as well.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

- when he’s jealous there would be barely any signs. when ever he sees a person trying to be all buddy buddy with you, he passive aggressively shooes them away and sweeps you away.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

- his kisses are like his hugs. soft, warm and gentle. no matter what height you are, he lives kissing your forehead or hand. y’know those fantasy scenes where the prince kisses the princess’s hand? like that. he really loves it when you kiss him on his mole or lips, it’s just so cute

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

- oh he’s amazing with children. like he can calm them down, make them happy, comfort them with only his words. best malewife fr fr

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

- due to his lawyer job, he wakes up pretty early to get ready, but not before kissing your forehead

- on weekends, he also wakes up early cause he still needs to work on his cases. but with enough puppy dog eyes, he’ll definitely cuddle you till you fully wake up, or atleast stay in bed with his computer, combing through your hair with his free hand

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

- mornings usually apply to nighttime as well. he has a lot of work so he doesn’t tend to get home early. after a long day at his office, he’ll cuddle up with you immediately, sometimes falling asleep in his suit

- on days he works at home, he’ll sit in bed with you as you try to fall asleep, working on his computer. he tries not to wake you or disturb you while working but once he looks over at your sleeping figure, he cant help but smile and put his computer away to cuddle you

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

- he’s actually pretty quiet about his opinions. die to his past, it’ll take a while for you to learn how he was raised

- he never wants to overwhelm and burden you with his worries so he might reveal things at a slow pace

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

- oh he has a ton of patience. unless it’s something harmful or hurtful, he doesn’t get angered a lot. it’s the skill of being a lawyer really, he has good composure

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

- he remembers everything. picture perfect memory (make’s his past sadder)

- if you mention a cool book or thing you might like, he’ll gift it to you immediately. even in passing while glancing through a shop’s window. he’ll remember everything about you

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

- when the first ‘i love you’ was said. he will never forget how he felt, butterflies in his stomach as he either heard or said it. it was just so wholesome

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

- oh he is super protective of you, not in a possessive yandere way though. he just makes sure you’re okay and comfortable during anything and everything and will help you calm down if overwhelmed

- honestly he feels protected with the sign of security. being secured down in a life routine and trustworthy relationship makes him warm in the stomach

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

- he is amazing at dates, anniversaries, dates and gifts but chores? that might be too much for him to handle

- he tries his ever so loving best but somehow he does something wrong. he’s so funny and cute

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

- in ulyesses fte, he fomments on when wolfganf and him were bunk buddies, wolfgang would tend to leave his clothes everywhere and even not knocking before going into the bathroom. he was so irritated that he switched rooms to be with wenona

- pretty self explanatory

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

- he wants to look his best for you. he’s always so used to being proper and polite in front of the jury but he puts extra effort when ever he’s metting with you. after a while in the relationship, he’ll let his guard down and not slick his hair back 24/7

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

- yes yes yes

- if you guys ever break up, it’ll damage his emotional state badly. he always thought he had amazing intuition and really picture a future with youso it would break him if things didn’t work out

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

- whenever you hug or kiss him outta no where, he’ll become bright red.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

- if they hurt others intentionally. big no no

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

- takes him a while to actually lie down in bed and try sleep but once his head hits the pillow, he’s out. he won’t even be sleepy but when he lies down and either you’re not there or sleeping, his body just knocks him out. maybe he should get more sleep if it’s that bad 💀

`mika-sob

[blradley]

By popular (ish) request: a WIP intro

KING OF THE WORLD (Adult romantasy/comedy, m/m)

Meet MALEVOLOTH (Loth to his friends. If he had any - ), a tyrannical dragon-king who reigns over the realm of Krazuk with a fire-filled fist. Has burned millions. Will do it again. A proud human-hater, for reasons (no, he won’t talk about it), he lives by the doctrine that only the strongest can rule.

...Which means that he spent the entirety of his five kids' lives subjecting them to horrific abuse. He pitted them against each other constantly, almost killing them to ‘make them stronger’, encouraging them to fight for power and privilege and never displaying affection unless it’s part of a ploy.

…....And then he wonders why he gets brutally assassinated and deposed.

Because he spent 0 time on building any sort of political stability and +1000 time on WAR and TORTURE-MURDER and BEING HORRID, his kingdom crumbles the minute he can no longer terrorize everyone into order. The vultures are circling, as his five children splinter the army to form their own factions and fight each other for the crown, and the surrounding kingdoms throw their collective hats in the ring in a bid to piss on Loth’s legacy as much as possible.

In short: womp, womp, no bitches.

Loth tries to project a personality that is cold, calculating, and oozing menace, to the point that he glamours his body to look far more imposing than he actually is – but he’s the sort of loser who starts screaming internally whenever things don’t go his way. When he can no longer control the actions of everyone around him, he becomes a shaking wreck, constantly catastrophising, refusing to believe that anyone could ever be kind to him without ulterior motive.

Loth spent his whole life (except for. Some very bleak formative parts.) as the despotic ruler of this kingdom. He has completely lost touch with anything outside of the prison he built for himself within his own mind, where everyone is an enemy.

MALEVOLOTH SONGS: You’re Nobody Till Somebody Wants You Dead (Saint Motel); To Ashes and Blood (Arcane, Woodkid); King of Disappointment (Echoes)

Enter AZRAEL DE LIONHART, a young human man who’s been on the run from Loth his entire life (he was prophesied as a baby to be the one to eventually slay him. Loth, unable to be Normal about anything, has been hunting him ever since).

He’s thoughtful. He’s kind. He’s warm-hearted, and seems to actually care about the endless human collateral of the wars sparked by Loth’s heirs as they bicker over the crown. Despite the absolute hell Loth’s put him through, he doesn't succumb to trauma and darkness. Instead, he makes friends everywhere he goes, and genuinely does his utmost to help anyone who needs him.

Obviously, this is all a cunning act to gain the support of the people, so he can steal the throne for himself.

Or so Loth tries to convince himself, with increasing desperation. No one can be that kind. That forgiving. That… handsome. It’s not possible.

Right?

In fact, there’s only one person in the entire world that our noble hero seems to hate… and that’s Malevoloth himself.

Whoops.

AZRAEL SONGS: Dear Fellow Traveller (Sea Wolf); New Eyes (Echoes); Me and the Devil (Soap and Skin); Thus Always To Tyrants (The Oh Hellos)

Thankfully (?) following a near-successful assassin attempt from his kids, Loth is stuck in the body of Azrael's beloved tutor: the erudite imp RIVVEN of VARRUN, who has been teaching Azrael how to fight a diverse menagerie of beasts.

Unthankfully, Rivven is very, very dead, and it's 100% Loth's fault. And all of Loth’s once-legendary powers have been lost to him, much like his corpse, which has been locked in his old fortress to prevent resurrection attempts by his dedicated cult.

If Azrael finds out that Rivven… isn’t Rivven anymore, things will get very, very bad for Loth. If Loth can con Azrael into returning him to his cadaver, where Loth can reverse his accidental bodyswap (and, um, rebuild his exploded head), things will get exceedingly bad for Azrael.

All Loth has to do is get this trusting, naive idiot to guard him for the duration of one eensy-weensy cross-continental journey. Then it's all over for humanity's so-called hero.

…Only what’s that voice in the back of his head? The one that sounds like a cross between Jiminy Cricket and a certain tortured-to-death imp?

And why, with each passing day, does the prospect of killing Azrael become less appealing?

RIVVEN SONGS: Liar (The Arcadian Wild); The Devil Within (Digital Daggers); The Whole Being Dead Thing (Alex Brightman & Beetlejuice Cast)

TL;DR: ‘we’ve gotta kill this guy, Steven.’  ‘okay but. hear me out. what if I romanced him instead?’ ‘but you’re prophesied to kill him??’ ‘…your point is?’

(note: I have no idea how long this concept will itch at my brain, and I'm mostly focusing on my vampire imperialism story & my YA at the moment! but it's a fun background project for me to poke at when I get bored of the others~ intro for the Vampire project will be coming soon!)

[bladekindeyewear]

What do you think of AH's commentary in Book 6 page 306?

Oh? Let me go look it up and quote it from the collection of book commentary… ah, I bet you're talking about the classpect stuff he references there, since you're asking me!

At the end of the day, Vriska did 90% of the talking, while John intermittently offered a few remarks such as "wow" and "geez" and "huh" and "golly, that's a lot of murders..." But then, that's why John is such a perfect friend. And an even perfecter friend for Vriska, who really just wants a boy-foil functioning as the ultimate enabler and sounding board for her apologist "multicultural" navel gazing and self-absorbed rationalization narratives. He is the Heir of Breath after all. It's a passive class, and he's a passive guy. An heir, literally speaking, is one who inherits stuff. Let's infer this to mean, for the sake of this particular note, someone who "inherits" by making room for something to fill, such as wind. He certainly provides that service for a whole lot of hot air when it comes to Vriska.

I’m not sure we needed further confirmation that the Heir is a passive class, I’m pretty sure we received that at SOME point before, but I think he’s giving voice here to a pretty self-evident feature of Heirs (inheriting) that I have spoken about before, but I don’t think sums up the class’s impact on reality in its entirety with JUST the “inherit” keyword— which would be in part why Andrew put so many careful weasel-words around it like “for the sake of this particular note”, etc etc.

Passive classes, by and large, often seem to be describable via the phrasing “one who invites X of or through their aspect, or is invited TO X of or through their aspect”. The former half explicit from Calliope, the latter half we have observed from the behavior of other confirmed passives like the Bard of Rage and how easily he is "invited" to destruction of and through Rage, et cetera. Following that pattern, the way I’ve always described the Heir class as the passive Control/Change class is “one who invites control/change in/through their aspect or is INVITED TO change of/through their aspect”. Easily thought of as “a nexus through whom (aspect) changes and is controlled”. As an Heir of Breath, the aspect of freedom, direction, and purpose, John is therefore extremely liable to be invited to change direction, to take on any quest or cause or purpose given to him by anyone who talks to him. And to change as a person due to it, too! It’s easy to see this as an Heir “inheriting” their aspect from others, certainly; I even went into it as recently as the Heir of Hope example in my Murder Drones classpecting post.

However, hero roles are meant to explain how one best AFFECTS reality around them, and focusing solely on the self is never going to tell a complete story. The Heir must have an effect on others too— and in John’s case, as I showed in the Breath and Blood post, John often serves as a vehicle to invite others to change direction too and take control of their purpose, not just to be invited himself. That’s the biggest bit of nuance lost by seeing Heirs as purely “inheritors” instead of using the keyword as a convenient lens that only shows some of the picture. Feel free to disagree with me, but I believe the Breath and Blood post has a massive preponderance of examples -- of how amazingly John Egbert affects the lives of everyone he speaks with -- to justify my hypothesis.

[anim-ttrpgs]

Good question!

The answer is because we said so.

Hahaha that is actually a true answer but there’s more to it than that.

The answer is that we want this to be a type of scene that is affected by the rules and the dice, because it’s something that we want Eureka to be about. Whatever you write rules for is what your rpg is about.

Making it a thing in the rules ensures that it is a thing in gameplay and the story that results from gameplay. Moments where characters sit around the table discussing the mystery are great for their and their players’ understanding of the mystery and ability to put the pieces together, and great for fleshing our who these characters are.

As for rolling when it matters, it matters.

The ability for characters to fail these Wealth rolls provides even more moments for characterization. One example off the top of my head that players still talk about even though it was over 6 months ago now is when one PC, Burnadette, failed a Wealth check and couldn’t afford food, tried to steal some breakfast bars from the grocery store, and was caught stealing by Sister Harriet, another PC. Sister Harriet, though poor herself, bought the breakfast bars for Burnadette, and it’s one of the things that made these PCs go from being relative strangers, who met because they were both interested in the same creepy old house, to being friends who care about each other.

It also matters because it interacts significantly with other mechanics, like the Composure system. PCs who don’t eat lose Composure, PCs who do eat gain Composure, and losing/gaining Composure matters a lot.

Wealth, or lack of it, being something that can significantly impact a PC’s Composure is by design, and the possibility of failing Wealth checks for food is one of the ways that happens. Speaking from experience, being poor is stressful, being homeless even more so, and even middle class people have to worry about money even if they aren’t living paycheck-to-paycheck. Wealth inequality in 21st century America and the effect it has on people is a theme you’ll find all throughout Eureka.

And the reason it’s meals and not other social gatherings is because it’s universal and thus works for every PC no matter what. Not everyone goes to any particular kind of social gathering, but everybody eats. The fact that it’s meals specifically also provides contrast for the monsters that eat people, representing how something that everyone else does casually (in this case eating) is a huge, violent ordeal for those who are on the wrong side of this society’s perception of acceptable needs.

As for the issue of even a super wealthy character being certain to run out of Food Budget eventually, and having a very small chance to fail a Wealth check to buy food, that’s because, while it does have a lot of life simulation elements, Eureka isn’t a life simulation, it’s a game about the PCs solving mysteries. The mechanics are tailored not to show their every-day lives, but to show a small particularly exciting snapshot of their lives, that time they ended up investigating a mystery.

The amount of Food Budget a PC can have is tailored mechanically not to represent their whole lives, but to work for the amount of in-world time we expect the average Eureka adventure to last.

Regarding a super rich character still having a small chance to fail a Wealth check to buy food, well, that’s because much of the society that Eureka takes place in, our society, is just hostile to human life. All the money in the world won’t help if the PC is snooping around in a food desert, or automated system which monitors their every purchase arbitrarily flags their recent activity as suspicious and freezes their credit card.

As for specifically 3 meals a day, that’s just a common meal structure in America, and it’s easy to design the mechanics around.

Meal Scenes and their Purpose in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

[elizabeth-holland24]

The Beast Within-Chapter 11

The wind whipped through Mausi’s hair as her horse galloped at full speed through the forest. The rhythmic pounding of hooves against the earth matched the erratic thrum of her heart. Each mile she rode seemed to peel back the layers of her memory, pieces falling into place like fragments of a long-lost puzzle.

Her mind drifted back to the boy she had met years ago, his mischievous smile and golden hair shining in the summer sun. He was different from the other children in the village—curious, brave, and full of dreams that stretched beyond their small world. They had spent hours together, exploring the woods, chasing fireflies, and talking about everything and nothing. She had told him about her favourite books, and he had promised to show her the world beyond their village one day. That boy had been Jake.

Mausi’s breath caught as the realization struck her like a lightning bolt. The beast she had come to know, with his towering frame and haunting eyes, was the same boy she had befriended all those years ago. She remembered the sorrow in his gaze when they reunited in the castle, the way he looked at her as if she were the only light in his dark world. How had she not seen it sooner? The boy she had adored had been hiding beneath the curse all along.

Her grip on the reins tightened as more memories flooded back. She remembered the way Jake had fought to protect her, even when it meant pushing her away. He had been rough and gruff at times, but beneath it all, he had always been kind. The way he had tended to her injuries after the wolves attacked, the nights they spent talking by the fire, and the way his voice softened when he spoke her name—all of it pointed to a love he couldn’t voice.

Mausi’s heart ached as she recalled their arguments, their shared laughter, and the quiet moments when words were unnecessary. She thought of the enchanted objects and how they had subtly nudged her toward understanding Jake. They had seen what she couldn’t at first—that beneath the beastly exterior was a man who cared deeply, who loved her despite believing he was unworthy of her affection.

The memories kept coming, unbidden and relentless. She saw the moments they danced together, the way his hand trembled as it held hers, and the way her heart fluttered in response. She remembered the look in his eyes when he let her go—a mix of heartbreak and hope. He had set her free because he loved her enough to prioritize her happiness over his own.

Tears blurred her vision as she urged her horse faster, her destination looming closer with every stride. She couldn’t deny the truth any longer. She had fallen for him. Not just the boy she once knew, but the man he had become. The beast who had shown her what it meant to love selflessly, to fight for someone even when it seemed impossible. He had taught her the meaning of courage and sacrifice.

Mausi wiped at her tears, her resolve hardening. She wouldn’t let Gaston or the mob destroy the man she loved. Jake deserved a chance to break free of the curse, to live the life he’d been denied. And she would be the one to stand by his side, no matter what it took.

“Hold on, Jake,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind. “I’m coming.”

The rain lashed against the castle as lightning illuminated the shadowed spires. Jake, in his beastly form, stood alone in the highest tower, his breaths deep and laboured as he gazed out into the storm. He could hear the battle raging below but didn’t move to intervene. His heart weighed heavier than the rain that pounded the stone walls.

Then, a voice cut through the thunder, cold and cruel.

“Hello, Beast.”

Jake turned sharply, his claws instinctively unsheathing. Gaston stepped into the room, his gun raised, a wicked grin on his face.

“I’m Gaston,” he said with a mock bow, his tone dripping with malice. “Mausi sent me. Are you in love with her? Do you honestly think she would want you?”

Jake growled, low and menacing. “You don’t know anything about her.”

“Oh, I know enough,” Gaston sneered, stepping closer, his finger brushing the trigger. “She deserves someone strong, someone human. Not... this.”

Before Jake could respond, Gaston fired. The shot echoed through the room, and pain ripped through Jake’s shoulder. With a guttural roar, he stumbled back, losing his footing on the slippery stone floor.

Clutching his wounded arm, Jake tried to steady himself, but the force of the impact sent him crashing through the weakened railing. He clawed at the edge of the tower, barely managing to hold on as his legs dangled over the abyss.

Gaston smirked, confident in his victory. He reached for another bullet, intending to finish the job. But when he grasped for his ammunition, his hand came up empty.

“What?” he muttered, his eyes darting to his belt.

“Looking for these?”

Gaston spun around to see Mausi standing in the doorway, her face pale but determined. In her hands were his bullets, bent and useless.

“Mausi!” Gaston exclaimed in disbelief. “You... you’re here?”

“Where’s Jake?” she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.

Gaston’s expression hardened. “When we return to the village, you will marry me, and that beast’s head will hang on our wall!”

“Never!” Mausi shouted, throwing the ruined bullets to the ground.

Enraged, Gaston lunged for his gun, but Mausi was faster. She grabbed it first, and the two struggled for control. The castle shuddered as the storm intensified, sending debris tumbling around them.

“Mausi, get out of here!” Jake shouted from the ledge, his claws slipping against the rain-slicked stone.

Mausi’s heart clenched at the sound of his voice. “Jake, hold on!” she cried, trying to wrestle the gun away from Gaston.

With a sudden jerk, Gaston shoved Mausi aside and charged toward Jake, determined to finish him off. Jake managed to pull himself up just enough to face his attacker, but his strength was fading fast.

“Mausi, you came back,” Jake rasped, his voice thick with pain and disbelief.

“I tried to stop them!” she called out, desperation lacing her words.

“Stay there! I’m coming!” Jake began to climb, his claws scraping against the stone as he tried to close the distance between them. But Gaston intercepted him, his fists slamming into Jake’s wounded side.

The two grappled precariously on the narrow ledge, their movements threatening to send them both over the edge. Gaston raised the gun, but Mausi, fueled by sheer determination, leaped forward and grabbed the barrel.

“Leave him alone!” she screamed.

The castle groaned under the strain of the battle. With a final, violent tremor, the section of the ledge beneath Gaston gave way. He staggered, his balance lost, and plummeted into the dark chasm below.

Mausi gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as Gaston disappeared into the shadows, his scream swallowed by the storm.

But there was no time to dwell on his fate. Jake’s claws finally lost their grip, and he fell backward, crashing through the crumbling floor into the room below—the rose room.

Mausi sprinted down the stairs, her heart pounding as she followed the path of destruction. When she reached the rose room, she found Jake sprawled on the ground, his massive form broken and still. The enchanted rose glowed faintly on its pedestal, a single petal fluttering down as she knelt beside him.

“Jake!” she cried, her hands trembling as she touched his face. His eyes flickered open, their golden hue dim but still warm.

“Mausi,” he murmured, a faint smile on his lips. “You’re safe.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her head. “Don’t talk like this is the end. You can’t leave me. I won’t let you.”

Jake’s hand, clawed and bloodied, gently brushed her cheek. “You’ve already saved me, Mausi. More than you know.”

“I remember everything,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Who you were before the curse, who you’ve always been. Jake, I... I love you.”

Jake’s eyes widened, a single tear slipping down his face. “You... you love me?”

“Yes,” Mausi sobbed, cradling his face in her hands. “Please, Jake, don’t leave me. Not now. Not ever.”

A/N: Please don't kill me. What a journey it has been. The next chapters will clear everyone of some doubts you might have. Honestly, I kinda have been following the movie trajectory with adding a few of my touches. Also, I'm sorry the fighting scenes aren't that great or don't make much sense, I don't know how to write them. I love you all, thank you so much for your support. There is still like 3 more chapters left, I think, so It's not completely over yet. There are still some secrets that need to come to light, like Pete said. Remember to like, comment or weblog and tell me your thoughts. Thank you so much for the love and support on this story. Don't forget to comment, like and reblog, so I know if you are enjoying it.  Love you guys and thanks for reading  <3